biography
| name: |
Charles XIV (of Sweden),
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originally Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1763–1844)
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| biography:
| King of Sweden (1818–44), born a lawyer's son in Pau, SW France. He joined the French army in 1780, and fought his way up to become marshal (1804). In 1799 he was minister of war, and for his conduct at Austerlitz was named Prince of Pontecorvo (1805). He fought in several Napoleonic campaigns (1805–9), then was elected heir to the throne of Sweden (1810), turning Protestant, and changing his name to Charles John. He refused to comply with Napoleon's demands, and was soon involved in war with him, taking part in the final struggle at Leipzig (1813). In 1814 he was rewarded with the Kingdom of Norway, recreating the union of the two countries. Thereafter he had a peaceful reign, though his conservative rule led to opposition at home in the 1830s. |
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